Froch hits out at TV treatment

Hennessy Spor7th April, 2009

If Carl Froch has anything to do with it Jermain Taylor won't be the only one licking his wounds following their super fight in the U.S. on April 25th. The reigning WBC Super Middleweight champ believes that TV executives on both sides of the Atlantic could also be bitten by the "Cobra".

As of yet no deal has been reached for British TV to show the fight although BBC Radio 5 Live have realised the significance of the fight and will be broadcasting the fight live from the MGM Grand Theater at Foxwoods in Connecticut. The Showtime TV network will also air the fight across the U.S. but Britain's only genuine World Champ says that TV's decision makers could be regretting their stance after the fight.

"This is a massive fight although British TV doesn't seem to think so," said Froch. "Unless something can be agreed shortly before the fight it's going to mean fight fans missing out on seeing one of British boxing's greatest ever nights and that would be a real shame. The irony is that I could have stayed at home in Nottingham, had a nice easy, first defence and that would have been shown on British TV. That would be the easy option though and I didn't come all this way to become World Champion and then con the fans.

"When you first put on a pair of gloves as a kid you don't dream about making routine defences, you dream about putting it all on the line and fighting the best in the world and that's exactly what I'm doing now. It will be British TV's loss if this fight isn't shown because they will miss out on some British sporting history in the making with me going over to the U.S., taking Taylor into the trenches and finish him in style."

Froch believes that Showtime could be in for a disappointing night too. "They're going to see a great fight between two fighters at the top of their game but for them it's going to be the wrong result. Naturally they're excited about having a marquee name like Taylor fighting on Showtime for the first time.

"I saw a feature they did on the fight at the weekend and they introduced Taylor as one of the greatest fighters of his generation. It might be his place but it's going to be my time and my generation on April 25th."

In the piece Taylor dismissed Froch saying, "I'm still trying to figure out who he is. I don't know much about him, he could be here in the gym today with me and I wouldn't know who he was.

"He is the champion though so I have to respect that but I've watched his tapes and he's showed me nothing special. He has to be taught how to lose just like I was. Losing to Kelly Pavlik has taught me that hard work and dedication are the only things that pay off."

Taylor reigned supreme at middleweight dethroning long time champ Bernard Hopkins and defeating him for a second time until defeat to Kelly Pavlik led to him moving up to super middleweight.

"I'm not number one anymore but I know how to take a championship from somebody and that's what I plan on doing," said Taylor. "On April 25th I'm going to get in that ring and let it all out. Super Middleweight Champion of the World? I like the ring of that."

Froch insists that he will not be leaving his belt in the U.S. "This is my chance to prove that not only am I the nest super middleweight in the World but one of the best fighters out there pound for pound. It's a massive stage for me to make a real statement and I'm not going to disappoint anyone.

"Taylor says he wouldn't know me if I walked into his gym but trust me if he even saw me in the gym he wouldn't go ahead with the fight because I'm on fire right now. By the time I'm finished with him on April 25th Jermain Taylor will know exactly who I am and what I'm all about."

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